The are multiple types of peripheral computer devices, such as video cameras, that attach to the bezel, or upper edge or surface, of a stand-alone computer display or a notebook computer display. (The bezel, essentially, is the upper ridge or ledge of a frame element for a computer screen. In a notebook or laptop computer, the bezel will be in an upper position once the notebook or laptop computer is opened from its closed position and the screen is visible to the user in an operating capacity.) Many such peripheral devices can also stand freely on a work surface. In addition to video cameras (or USB cameras), such devices can include, but are by n means limited to, microphones and keyboard lights.
Computer display bezels, of course, are formed in a great variety of dimensions and shapes. Since many peripheral devices are not custom-made for particular computers or display bezels, they often need to be sufficiently versatile as to be able to be mounted on a wide variety of computers or bezels.
Normally, to afford such versatility, several known arrangements or accommodations come into play. Multiple stands or parts, included with the peripheral equipment, can well help “customize” the equipment to different computers or bezels, but this then has the great disadvantage of leaving the user with unused stands or parts that ship with the product to accommodate different display bezels and free-stand use but are wasted and merely add to the user's and manufacturer's costs.
A gravity-based method is also conceivable such that the equipment merely rests on top of a display bezel. However, this often proves to be very unstable, especially in the case of notebooks/laptops. A subset of this is the “Velcro” method where bezel and peripheral equipment alike where adhesive Velcro portions are stuck to each and then mate when the equipment is mounted. Apart from the unsightliness of Velcro pieces, the adhesive often wears off and, furthermore, stability continues to be an issue here (especially in the case of larger peripheral equipment).
Finally, attachment media involving one adjustable element (essentially, one degree of freedom in terms of the attachment capabilities afforded), such as a spring-based clip or the like, may serve a useful purpose in one context but not in others; in other words, such methods usually fail to adequately accommodate a wide range of bezel dimensions.
In view of the foregoing, a compelling need has been recognized in connection with providing an attachment arrangement for computer peripheral equipment that is more versatile than conventional arrangements, to the point of even being “universal” in its capabilities.